Ami Kawashima stood in front of her vanity mirror, anyone who knows her personality will instantly think she's admiring herself secretly. But this time is different. Ami made another pose and judged herself in the mirror, she grunted.
It's been an hour when her manager told her that her next model project is an endorsement of sportswear, specifically female wear for basketball players. Ami requested the client to get a basketball professional for the job but she was greeted by a news that all of them are preparing for a national level competition. Leaving her no choice, she agreed to model. Presently, the narcissistic model decided to practice her posing but everything she do lacks the 'sporty' manner.
"Is it because I don't do sports?" Ami asked her reflection. She stared at herself intently hoping the angel-like girl in the mirror will answer. The model do play some sports but the only thing she enjoys while playing is the attention.
She was about to sit helplessly on the floor and spout some curses when the door swung open accompanied with an energetic voice.
"Amicchi-senpai! I heard you'll be the model for some basketball female wear!" Ryota Kise emerged from the door. Though Ami insisted not to call her 'senpai', he still uses the term by the fact that Ami started earlier in the industry.
"Kise-kun, you surprised me" the female model said in an angelic voice. Fortunately, she was able to stop herself from releasing her true self.
"Let's do our best, Amicchi-senpai." Kise said with his usual enthusiasm.
"What do you mean?"
"Didn't you know? I'll be the model for the men's basketball wear"
"Really?" Ami didn't hide her sincere happiness, knowing that the man in front of her is a basketball player. "Anyway, Kise-kun, since it's my first time modeling for a sports magazine, can you teach me the basics?"
"Basics?" the blond thought for a while before smiling. "Then, you should learn the essence of the sport. In this case, you should know what basketball is."
"Eh?" she tilted her head in confusion.
"There's actually a game organized by me this weekend held in my school. My teammates from Teiko will also be present…hopefully" he whispered the last part. "If you want you can come and watch with your friends"
Ami thought that it will be very troublesome but since she asked him for help she can't just turn his invitation down, instead she maintained her fake self. "I'm glad I asked you, Kise-kun. Of course I'll be there with my friends"
"See you this weekend then." Kise smiled before exiting the room.
Ami said a goodbye and sat on the couch. Her eyes landed on the empty box of macaroons which contains her important notes, this box is none other than the one Taiga gave her before. "It won't hurt if I invite them"
It's finally the weekend and Ami is currently waiting for her companions in the train station. Inviting them didn't even took much effort than she expected, she just needs to flirt and ask first Takasu then Taiga will come, if there's the Palmtop Tiger, then Minori will tag along. But asking her childhood friend, Yusaku, is the easiest of all since there's no constant shouting of 'bakachi'.
"Isn't that the model Ami Kawashima?" She heard a stranger exclaim and the people around her finally noticed the woman's superb beauty.
'Ohohohoho~ That's right you low lives, admire me and learn what beauty is.' Her inner self laughed but of course, the people around her didn't know that.
"You're early today, Ami"
"Yo, Ami~n!"
"Good to see you're not late, bakachi!"
"Are you in the position to say that?"
She gaped in disbelief. In front of her are her four friends standing in line with extended arms and wiggled them. The exact thing they did when they went to her villa. Ami internally cursed, the reason she arrived early is to avoid the same thing to happen, but she obviously failed. Unlike last time, she didn't ran away and helplessly submitted to them.
"Amicchi-sempai!" Kise waved his hand upon seeing Ami and her friends. "I came to pick you up since this place is huge"
"Thanks a lot, Kise-kun" Ami smiled as their group arrive at the school gate.
The group, led by Kise entered the Kaijo Academy. Since it's a weekend, the place is only filled with few students from the student council and with club activities. The visitors eyes scanned the school with awe.
"This school is amazing" Yusaku Kitamura commented.
"I wonder how much the students pay here…" Ryuuji Takasu whispered to himself.
"I remember having a practice match with Kaijo's softball team," Minori Kushieda swung an invisible bat. "Their pitcher's throw is exceptional."
"Minorin stop swinging your arms, you're going to hit me" Taiga Aisaka said as she lift up her hands to protect her head.
"I apologize for the noise my companions are emitting, Kise-kun" Ami apologized to the man walking beside her as the rowdy behavior of the high school student behind got louder.
"It's alright, Amicchi-senpai. It's more fun to have energetic companions." Kise smiled happily.
"Ah!" Ami suddenly exclaimed but her noisy friends in the back failed to hear her. Kise looked at her questioningly. "I forgot to introduce you to them. Shall I do it now?"
"Nah… I think it will be better to introduce me to them together with the others." The blond glanced back to check the others. "Though, I'm not expecting you to bring a middle scho – "
"Shhh!" the slender pearly hand of Ami covered the mouth of Kise and unexpectedly let out her real self. "Don't continue that sentence if you still want to live" she hissed and glanced at Taiga and the others, thankfully, the four are still busy sightseeing. The female model sighed and released the blond. A few seconds passed before she realized what she had done.
"Did I surprise you, Kise-kun? Do you think I can be an actress now? Ohohohohohoho~" Ami laughed and started walking forward.
Kise stared at the walking figure and smiled before catching up with the woman.
"You're late, idiot!" Kise's captain, Yukio Kasamatsu's hot headedness overtook him and hit their ace player on the head.
"Please don't be hard on Kise-kun, we're the reason he was late" Ami's angelic voice echoed throughout the gym as she cried in concern. The players inside stared at the model in shock. The woman's beauty shunned the people behind her. Except for Taiga, she's unfortunately was blocked by Ami.
"Ah… Ami/Amin/ Kawashima strike again" The three chorused and sighed. After a few minutes of silence, a voice broke the quietness.
"Are they your guests, Kise-kun?" Kuroko Tetsuya, who suddenly appeared in front of the blond and model, asked. Ami gave a soft yelp in surprise while Kise only smiled, obviously he was already used to it.
"Kurokocchi! So Seirin's already here" he scanned the place. "Shutoku…. Touou… Yosen... and… Akashicchi's not here yet"
"Ummm…. Kise-kun, my question earlier…" Kuroko said with his usual self, but the guests see him as a kid getting the attention of his father. Kise mumbled about Akashi always being fashionably late completely ignoring the question of his favorite former teammate. Finally, the poker face shadow looked at Ami, who in return smiled back and started to introduce herself.
"Oh… I'm Kawashima Ami and these are my friends – "
"Then you really are the model Kawashima Ami, the daughter of the actress Kawashima Anna" Daiki Aomine, a big fan of Japanese idols excitedly started to pinpoint the resemblance.
"Dai-chan's being rude again…" Momoi Satsuki sighed from the sidelines and walked towards Aomine to retrieve him. Her eyes scanned the other guests until it landed on the palmtop tiger. "So… So…"
"Oi, Satsuki" Aomine faced his childhood friend upon seeing her shaking uncontrollably with twinkling eyes.
"Momoi-san?/ Momoicchi?" Kuroko and Kise also started to get worry.
"SO CUTE!" Momoi's voice echoed loudly and rushed to hug Taiga tightly. Taiga was surprised by Momoi's shout that she wasn't able to dodge the incoming attack.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING YOU BIG BUSTED WOMAN!" The palmtop tiger roared but was muffled by the big chest of the pink haired. Ami and Ryuuji sweat dropped while Minori and Kitamura just laughed that Taiga found a new friend. The other players present in the gym just watched quietly.
"You're so cute! What's your name? ahh~ you're like a doll~" Momoi hugged more tightly the now half dead Taiga. "Huh? What's this hard thing on your back?" the peach haired tapped the back of Taiga.
"Don't tell me you brought that along, you midget" Ami suddenly said, forgetting to act angelic. Her surprise got better on her.
"Why would you bring that here?" Ryuuji retrieved Taiga from Momoi and shook her to wake her up. "Oi answer me Ta – "
"Stop shaking me you sorry excuse for a dog" Taiga, who is now revived, kicked the poor Ryuuji away and flicked her hair proudly.
"A middle scho – " Murasakibara Atsushi's comment was interfered by another voice.
"You should respect your seniors" Kagami Taiga pat the other tiger's head.
"You have no right to say that, Kagami" Aida Riko and Hyuga Junpei chorused while the other members of Seirin nodded in agreement.
"I'm just surprised that a middle schooler kicked a high schooler without mercy" Kagami answered with a voice lower than before.
"Middle schooler you say?" Taiga glared at Kagami. The people around started to feel the deadly aura emitting from the small girl.
"You're a middle schooler, right?" Kagami, still oblivious from the aura, repeated the words the 4 guests knew she hated.
"He's obviously joking, calm down, Aisaka-san" Ami tried to reach for Taiga but her arms was swatted by the same girl.
"Amin's right, he's joking" Minori also cannot take the pressure and want to protect the basketball player from the wrath of the tiger.
"Say you're joking, please" Ryuuji whispered to Kagami.
"It would be better if you do it now" Kitamura joined in.
"Why? From her height, she's obviously a middle schooler" Kagami told the two but it didn't miss the ears of Taiga.
Taiga's right hand slowly moved towards the back of her neck, grasping the handle of the wooden katana hidden in the back of her clothes. Kitamura, Minori, Ami and Ryuuji watched in horror as the palmtop tiger slowly stalk her prey. She raised the sword, ready to attack the confused man who called her a middle schooler.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MIDDLE SCHOOLER?! I'M ALREADY IN SECOND YEAR HIGH SCHOOL, YOU INSECT!" Taiga bellowed and jumped to slash the sword on Kagami's face. Thankfully, he was able to dodge at the last minute. The people in the gym started to panic but everyone were stunned to help the attacked party.
"WHO TOLD YOU TO DODGE? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, INSECT? NO, CALLING YOU AN INSECT WAS A COMPLIMENT, SO DON'T THINK HIGHLY OF YOURSELF" Taiga swung the sword once again hitting Kagami on the stomach. Though her size is considered small, her attacks are no joking matter.
"She's small but terrible" Izuki Shun commented. Even Riko who is nearer from him wasn't able to react to her teammate's lame joke. Murasakibara sweat dropped and secretly thanked Kagami for cutting in before he completed the words 'middle shooler'. Kise gulped and imagined numerous scenes if ever Ami didn't cover his mouth that time.
Kagami's cries of helplessness continued to echo in the gym.
"This is not the time for your jokes, Izuki" Hyuga hit his comrade. "We should help Kagami" Though he said that, his feet won't listen to him upon seeing the brutal beating of Taiga. Instead, he rushed towards Ami and the others. It appears that the three were too shocked to move or react that they only came to reality when the Seirin's captain called for them.
"I should have warned all of you earlier to not call her a middle schooler" Ami cried in distress, not because she cared about Kagami, but because they are JUST guests who are supposed to only watch their game, not pick a fight.
"Don't blame yourself Ami" Kitamura patted his childhood friend's back to comfort her. "Takasu, Kushieda, Even I can't stop her"
"Kushieda, you're her best friend, how on earth can we stop her?" Ryuuji asked the girl beside him, he again checked the situation of the victim.
"I'm sorry" Minori gave a bow. "But if Taiga is in that state, no one can stop her now"
"Taiga?" Kuroko asked making sure he heard them right but the answer was obstructed by another roar of the tiger.
"YOU USELESS BACTERIA! I'LL DESTROY YOU! IT'LL BE HARMFUL TO THE EARTH IF YOU EXIST FOR A SECOND LONGER"
They all faced the source of the voice and everyone turned pale upon seeing the obvious next thing she's going to do. The sword is raised and she's holding it with both of her hands. Kagami is curled on the floor, crying in pain in all the injuries he received. Taiga snarled at him and aimed the sword on his head. Yes, his head. She's definitely going to destroy him.
"STOP IT, TAIGAAAAA!" The four ran towards the palmtop tiger, 2 seconds before she swung the sword down with full strength.
And that is what the Rakuzan team saw upon entering the Kaijo gym.
An hour has passed since that tragic incident. An hour, but it is not enough to heal the traumatized minds of the players. Kuroko, who is the first one to calm down, explained what happened to the fashionably late Rakuzan team. And Kagami (may his soul rest in peace) lay on the floor with a wet towel draped on his eyes, his injuries are not that serious thanks to his strong built but the number of his wounds are more than enough to immobilize him. Himuro Tatsuya sat beside his brother and rival, he massaged his temples in frustration that he met a person with the same name as his friend not to mention vicious, the word violent will be even put in shame.
It's been an hour since the basketball players introduced themselves and Ami, as their representative, introduced her companions. They were definitely taken aback upon hearing the name of the vicious female, even Kagami, who was being treated that time, flinched. She was Aisaka Taiga, the ferocious palmtop tiger.
"We are very sorry." Ami, Minori, Ryuuji and Kitamura bowed politely
